Mekele weather in May
In May, Mekele sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 26 mm of rain across 5.6 wet days and about 12.6 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 58% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.
Daylight stretches from about 12 h 30 min at the start of May to 12 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Mekele's 6th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Mekele's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 26°
- 1st warmest
- Overnight low
- 14°
- 11th coldest
- Rainfall
- 26 mm
- 5.6 wet days
- Daylight
- 12 h 36 min
- 6:00 AM – 6:37 PM
- Cloud cover
- 38%
- 6th clearest
- Wind
- 8 km/h
- 8th windiest
- Solar energy
- 6.76 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 7.7
- out of 10
Mekele is the capital city in the northern Tigray Region of Ethiopia.
- Density
- 18,736/km²
- people per km²
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in May
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month.
A typical May day in Mekele reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 14°C overnight — a 12°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 1°C warmer than April and on par with June.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 |
| Avg low (°C) | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 | 14 |
| 2 | 26 | 14 |
| 3 | 26 | 14 |
| 4 | 26 | 14 |
| 5 | 26 | 14 |
| 6 | 26 | 14 |
| 7 | 26 | 14 |
| 8 | 26 | 14 |
| 9 | 26 | 14 |
| 10 | 26 | 14 |
| 11 | 26 | 14 |
| 12 | 26 | 14 |
| 13 | 26 | 14 |
| 14 | 26 | 14 |
| 15 | 26 | 14 |
| 16 | 26 | 14 |
| 17 | 26 | 14 |
| 18 | 26 | 14 |
| 19 | 26 | 14 |
| 20 | 26 | 14 |
| 21 | 27 | 14 |
| 22 | 27 | 14 |
| 23 | 27 | 14 |
| 24 | 27 | 14 |
| 25 | 27 | 14 |
| 26 | 27 | 14 |
| 27 | 27 | 14 |
| 28 | 27 | 14 |
| 29 | 27 | 14 |
| 30 | 27 | 14 |
| 31 | 27 | 14 |
Mekele weather by month
How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 1st-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22° / 10° | 23 | 6.1 | 11.3 | 7.8 |
| Feb | 24° / 11° | 21 | 5.6 | 11.6 | 8.1 |
| Mar | 25° / 12° | 60 | 11.4 | 11.9 | 7.1 |
| Apr | 25° / 13° | 61 | 11.6 | 12.3 | 6.9 |
| May | 26° / 14° | 26 | 5.6 | 12.6 | 7.7 |
| Jun | 26° / 14° | 72 | 11.7 | 12.8 | 6.6 |
| Jul | 23° / 14° | 228 | 29.1 | 12.7 | 4.0 |
| Aug | 22° / 14° | 284 | 30.1 | 12.4 | 3.8 |
| Sep | 24° / 12° | 67 | 11.2 | 12.1 | 7.1 |
| Oct | 23° / 12° | 12 | 2.4 | 11.7 | 8.7 |
| Nov | 23° / 10° | 13 | 3.1 | 11.4 | 8.6 |
| Dec | 22° / 9° | 10 | 2.7 | 11.2 | 8.5 |
Cloud cover in May
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 58% of the time in May.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 22%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 77 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 76 | 76 | 77 | 77 | 78 | 78 | 78 | 78 | 78 | 78 | 78 | 78 | 79 | 79 | 79 | 79 | 79 | 79 | 79 | 79 | 79 | 79 |
| Cloudier (%) | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 77 | 23 |
| 2 | 77 | 23 |
| 3 | 77 | 23 |
| 4 | 77 | 23 |
| 5 | 77 | 23 |
| 6 | 77 | 23 |
| 7 | 77 | 23 |
| 8 | 77 | 23 |
| 9 | 77 | 23 |
| 10 | 76 | 24 |
| 11 | 76 | 24 |
| 12 | 77 | 23 |
| 13 | 77 | 23 |
| 14 | 78 | 22 |
| 15 | 78 | 22 |
| 16 | 78 | 22 |
| 17 | 78 | 22 |
| 18 | 78 | 22 |
| 19 | 78 | 22 |
| 20 | 78 | 22 |
| 21 | 78 | 22 |
| 22 | 79 | 21 |
| 23 | 79 | 21 |
| 24 | 79 | 21 |
| 25 | 79 | 21 |
| 26 | 79 | 21 |
| 27 | 79 | 21 |
| 28 | 79 | 21 |
| 29 | 79 | 21 |
| 30 | 79 | 21 |
| 31 | 79 | 21 |
Chance of precipitation in May
Mekele gets around 26 mm of rain over 5.6 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 19% and peaks near 31% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 31 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 31 |
| 2 | 30 |
| 3 | 29 |
| 4 | 28 |
| 5 | 27 |
| 6 | 26 |
| 7 | 25 |
| 8 | 24 |
| 9 | 24 |
| 10 | 23 |
| 11 | 22 |
| 12 | 21 |
| 13 | 21 |
| 14 | 20 |
| 15 | 19 |
| 16 | 18 |
| 17 | 17 |
| 18 | 16 |
| 19 | 15 |
| 20 | 14 |
| 21 | 14 |
| 22 | 13 |
| 23 | 12 |
| 24 | 12 |
| 25 | 12 |
| 26 | 11 |
| 27 | 11 |
| 28 | 11 |
| 29 | 11 |
| 30 | 11 |
| 31 | 12 |
Humidity in May
Most of May feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, May lands in the dry band about 90% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 89 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 91 | 91 | 92 | 92 | 92 | 92 | 93 | 93 | 93 | 93 | 94 | 94 | 94 | 94 | 94 | 94 | 94 | 94 |
| Comfortable (%) | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 82 | 18 |
| 2 | 83 | 17 |
| 3 | 84 | 16 |
| 4 | 85 | 15 |
| 5 | 86 | 14 |
| 6 | 87 | 13 |
| 7 | 87 | 13 |
| 8 | 88 | 12 |
| 9 | 89 | 11 |
| 10 | 89 | 11 |
| 11 | 90 | 10 |
| 12 | 90 | 10 |
| 13 | 90 | 10 |
| 14 | 91 | 9 |
| 15 | 91 | 9 |
| 16 | 92 | 8 |
| 17 | 92 | 8 |
| 18 | 92 | 8 |
| 19 | 92 | 8 |
| 20 | 93 | 7 |
| 21 | 93 | 7 |
| 22 | 93 | 7 |
| 23 | 93 | 7 |
| 24 | 94 | 6 |
| 25 | 94 | 6 |
| 26 | 94 | 6 |
| 27 | 94 | 6 |
| 28 | 94 | 6 |
| 29 | 94 | 6 |
| 30 | 94 | 6 |
| 31 | 94 | 6 |
Wind in May
Winds average 8 km/h in May.
Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | calm |
| 2 | 8 | calm |
| 3 | 8 | calm |
| 4 | 8 | calm |
| 5 | 8 | calm |
| 6 | 8 | calm |
| 7 | 8 | calm |
| 8 | 8 | calm |
| 9 | 8 | calm |
| 10 | 8 | calm |
| 11 | 8 | calm |
| 12 | 8 | calm |
| 13 | 8 | calm |
| 14 | 8 | calm |
| 15 | 8 | calm |
| 16 | 8 | calm |
| 17 | 8 | calm |
| 18 | 8 | calm |
| 19 | 8 | calm |
| 20 | 8 | calm |
| 21 | 8 | calm |
| 22 | 8 | calm |
| 23 | 8 | calm |
| 24 | 8 | calm |
| 25 | 7 | calm |
| 26 | 7 | calm |
| 27 | 7 | calm |
| 28 | 7 | calm |
| 29 | 7 | calm |
| 30 | 7 | calm |
| 31 | 7 | calm |
Sunrise & sunset in May
Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min at the start of May to 12 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days grow by about 12 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:05 AM to 5:58 AM, and sunset from 6:34 PM to 6:41 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 12.5 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.7 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 6:05 | 6:05 | 6:04 | 6:04 | 6:03 | 6:03 | 6:03 | 6:02 | 6:02 | 6:01 | 6:01 | 6:01 | 6:00 | 6:00 | 6:00 | 6:00 | 5:59 | 5:59 | 5:59 | 5:59 | 5:59 | 5:58 | 5:58 | 5:58 | 5:58 | 5:58 | 5:58 | 5:58 | 5:58 | 5:58 | 5:58 |
| Sunset (PM) | 6:34 | 6:34 | 6:34 | 6:34 | 6:34 | 6:35 | 6:35 | 6:35 | 6:35 | 6:35 | 6:36 | 6:36 | 6:36 | 6:36 | 6:37 | 6:37 | 6:37 | 6:38 | 6:38 | 6:38 | 6:38 | 6:39 | 6:39 | 6:39 | 6:40 | 6:40 | 6:40 | 6:40 | 6:41 | 6:41 | 6:41 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12.5 | 6:05 | 6:34 |
| 2 | 12.5 | 6:05 | 6:34 |
| 3 | 12.5 | 6:04 | 6:34 |
| 4 | 12.5 | 6:04 | 6:34 |
| 5 | 12.5 | 6:03 | 6:34 |
| 6 | 12.5 | 6:03 | 6:35 |
| 7 | 12.5 | 6:03 | 6:35 |
| 8 | 12.5 | 6:02 | 6:35 |
| 9 | 12.6 | 6:02 | 6:35 |
| 10 | 12.6 | 6:01 | 6:35 |
| 11 | 12.6 | 6:01 | 6:36 |
| 12 | 12.6 | 6:01 | 6:36 |
| 13 | 12.6 | 6:00 | 6:36 |
| 14 | 12.6 | 6:00 | 6:36 |
| 15 | 12.6 | 6:00 | 6:37 |
| 16 | 12.6 | 6:00 | 6:37 |
| 17 | 12.6 | 5:59 | 6:37 |
| 18 | 12.6 | 5:59 | 6:38 |
| 19 | 12.6 | 5:59 | 6:38 |
| 20 | 12.7 | 5:59 | 6:38 |
| 21 | 12.7 | 5:59 | 6:38 |
| 22 | 12.7 | 5:58 | 6:39 |
| 23 | 12.7 | 5:58 | 6:39 |
| 24 | 12.7 | 5:58 | 6:39 |
| 25 | 12.7 | 5:58 | 6:40 |
| 26 | 12.7 | 5:58 | 6:40 |
| 27 | 12.7 | 5:58 | 6:40 |
| 28 | 12.7 | 5:58 | 6:40 |
| 29 | 12.7 | 5:58 | 6:41 |
| 30 | 12.7 | 5:58 | 6:41 |
| 31 | 12.7 | 5:58 | 6:41 |
Solar energy in May
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.76 kWh/m².
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.16 kWh/m² to a high of 6.99 kWh/m² in April across the year — May's 6.76 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.4 | 6.4 |
| Level | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 2 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 3 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 4 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 5 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 6 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 7 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 8 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 9 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 10 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 11 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 12 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 13 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 14 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 15 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 16 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 17 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 18 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 19 | 6.7 | Intense |
| 20 | 6.7 | Intense |
| 21 | 6.7 | Intense |
| 22 | 6.7 | Intense |
| 23 | 6.6 | Intense |
| 24 | 6.6 | Intense |
| 25 | 6.6 | Intense |
| 26 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 27 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 28 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 29 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 30 | 6.4 | Intense |
| 31 | 6.4 | Intense |
Hazard calendar for Mekele
None of Mekele's seasonal hazards are active in May. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.
Mekele's monsoon runs July–August, when most of the year's rain falls.
Mekele sees seasonal dust haze (June–August), heaviest in July.
Is May a good time to visit Mekele?
Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
May is one of the better times to visit Mekele for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Mekele in May
From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In May, Mekele sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 14°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 6 days see rain.
UV index in Mekele in May
Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Mekele peaks around March 20 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 12 at about 10 (very high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 12 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 9 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12 | Extreme |
| Feb | 13 | Extreme |
| Mar | 15 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 13 | Extreme |
| Jun | 12 | Extreme |
| Jul | 10 | Very high |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 10 | Very high |
| Dec | 9 | Very high |
Air quality in Mekele in May
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where May falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Mekele is worst in June — around 31 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 26 | 26 | 28 | 23 | 25 | 31 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 23 | 21 | 23 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26 | Moderate |
| Feb | 26 | Moderate |
| Mar | 28 | Moderate |
| Apr | 23 | Moderate |
| May | 25 | Moderate |
| Jun | 31 | Moderate |
| Jul | 27 | Moderate |
| Aug | 28 | Moderate |
| Sep | 28 | Moderate |
| Oct | 23 | Moderate |
| Nov | 21 | Moderate |
| Dec | 23 | Moderate |
Where is Mekele?
Mekele sits at 13.5°N, 39.5°E, 2,068 m above sea level, in Ethiopia. The nearest listed city is Dolo, 18 km away.
Topography around Mekele
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Mekele.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Mekele has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 341 m around an average of 2,104 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 905 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,776 m.
The land around Mekele is covered by artificial surfaces (50%) and cropland (25%) within 3 km, cropland (61%) within 16 km, and grassland (33%), cropland (30%) and shrubs (25%) within 80 km.
Ethiopia travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 3
- Reconsider Travel
- Power plugs
- Type C / E / F / L
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 37% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $933
- 2025
- Happiness
- 4.0 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 14%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 8.5
- per 100k, 2012
- Road deaths
- 28.2
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Low
- World Bank
- English
- Low
- EF EPI 499
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Mekele (13.4967°, 39.4753°, elevation 2,068 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).